Christmas drink-driving campaign shame

Dorset Police’s annual Christmas drink and drug drive campaign recorded 95 arrests from 413 breath tests by officers, compared with 554 during the same period the previous year.

Of 53 people charged with drink driving related offences, 45 were men and eight were women. The youngest was 18 and the oldest was 71. Motorists were tested during routine stop checks and breath tests were requested from all drivers involved in road traffic collisions, irrespective of whether a drink driving offence was suspected.

Police Constable Heidi Moxam, of the traffic unit, said: “Those charged throughout the campaign were not necessarily your ‘usual’ suspects. Too many people who are otherwise law-abiding citizens, fail to consider the untold devastation that drink and drug driving can cause.

“I have been the person knocking on the door to inform relatives that their loved one had been killed as a result of a motorist who thinks it is okay to get behind the wheel while under the influence. This is something that I do not want to do during the festive period, or any other time of year.”